[meteorite-list] Mars Exploration Rovers Update - May 24, 2007

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 09:15:24 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <200705251615.JAA16029_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html

SPIRIT UPDATE: Spirit Continues Soil Analysis - sol 1193-1199, May 24, 2007:

Spirit is healthy and spent the last week studying light and dark soil
in and around the rover's tracks between "Home Plate" and "Mitcheltree
Ridge." Spirit collected additional soil data, including about 24 hours
of data using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer and 70 hours of data
using the Moessbauer spectrometer. The primary soil targets examined
during the week are known as "Kenosha Comets" and "Lefty Ganote."

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations of atmospheric dust levels using the
panoramic camera and surveys of the sky and ground using the miniature
thermal emission spectrometer, Spirit completed the following activities:

Sol 1193 (May 12, 2007): Spirit acquired alpha-particle X-ray
spectrometer data from Kenosha Comets, miniature thermal emission
spectrometer data from a target called "Alice Blaski," and panoramic
camera images of Alice Blaski and another target known as "Mantalia."
Following those tasks, Spirit napped until 11 p.m. local Mars time.
Spirit then conducted a 12-hour analysis of Kenosha Comets using the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1194: Spirit started the day with acquisition of full-color images
of light-colored tracks using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera.
The rover acquired thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic
camera. Spirit replaced the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer with the
Moessbauer spectrometer and acquired 23.3 hours of Moessbauer data from
Kenosha Comets. The rover studied a target known as "Palthon" using the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer and took thumbnail images of the
Martian sky with the panoramic camera.

Sol 1195: Spirit acquired another 23.3 hours worth of Moessbauer data
from Kenosha Comets as well as a movie in search of dust devils using
the navigation camera. The rover studied Mantalia and another target
known as "Orluk" using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 1196: Spirit's first task of the day was to complete a sky survey
using the panoramic camera. The rover stowed the robotic arm, drove
backward 0.85 meters (2.8 feet), and autonomously put the alpha-particle
X-ray spectrometer in position for further studies. Spirit acquired
hazardous avoidance camera images prior to and after stopping and
acquired navigation camera images of the terrain. Starting at 11 p.m.
local Mars time, Spirit conducted an 11-hour study of the Martian
atmosphere using the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer.

Sol 1197: Spirit began the day by searching the Martian sky for clouds
using the navigation camera and surveying the horizon with the panoramic
camera. Spirit acquired full-color, 13-filter images of "Gertrude Weise
background 3" using the panoramic camera. The rover surveyed Kenosha
Comets and targets known as "Gertrude Weise background 2," "Kay
Blumetta," and Gertrude Weise background 3 using the miniature thermal
emission spectrometer.

Sol 1198: In the morning, Spirit acquired full-color images of Kenosha
Comets using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera. The rover acquired
a 360-degree panorama using the navigation camera. Spirit unstowed the
robotic arm, acquired microscopic images of Lefty Ganote, and placed the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer on Lefty Ganote. Spirit surveyed a
target known as "Audrey Wagner," Kenosha Comets, and two targets in the
rover's tracks known as "Tracks No. 1" and "Tracks No. 2" using the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover completed a sky
survey at low sun with the panoramic camera. After napping, Spirit awoke
at 11 p.m. local Mars time and conducted an overnight study using the
alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer that lasted 11 hours and 52 minutes.

Sol 1199 (May 18, 2007): Plans called for Spirit to begin the day with a
search for dust devils using the navigation camera and a survey of a
target called "Margaret Jones" using the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. After that, the rover was to place the Moessbauer
spectrometer on Lefty Ganote and conduct a 23 1/4 - hour analysis,
acquire full-color images of targets called "Ethel Boyce" and "Joanne
Weaver" using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, and conduct
another search for dust devils the following morning by collecting movie
frames with the navigation camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1198 (May 17, 2007), Spirit's total odometry was 7,109.47
meters (4.42 miles).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Turns Up the Amps - sol 1164-1170,
May 24, 2007:

Opportunity's electrical supply returned to levels not seen since the
rover first arrived on Mars. Peak electrical current from the rover's
solar arrays climbed above 4.0 amps and remained there for most of the
week as a result of three recent dust-cleaning events. The last time
electrical current reached similar levels was on sol 18 (Feb. 10, 2004)!

Meanwhile, Opportunity is healthy and continues to circumnavigate
"Victoria Crater" back toward "Duck Bay." On the rover's 1,163rd sol, or
Martian day of exploration (May 2, 2007), Opportunity drove 90 meters
(296 feet). The following sol the rover drove toward the rim of "Cape of
Good Hope" to acquire high-quality, super-resolution images of the
western face of "Cape St. Vincent." These images will enable scientists
to better characterize detailed cross-bedding in the lower stratigraphic
unit.

Opportunity also successfully tested a new procedure for using the rock
abrasion tool to grind and seek a surface of scientific interest. At a
rock target known as "Viva La Rata" ("Long Live the Rat"), the rover
used software to bypass a check that was causing the grind encoder to
fail. Because the RAT can no longer find the rock surface by seek/scan,
the rover used the grinding motion to do a "grind/scan." On sol 1166
(May 4, 2007), Opportunity performed a successful grind/scan to find the
target surface. Then, on sol 1168 (May 7, 2007), the rover used the rock
abrasion tool to brush Viva la Ratta.

On sol 1169 (May 8, 2007), Opportunity postponed a planned drive to
study some cobbles because of a joint 1 stall that occurred while
stowing the robotic arm before the drive. This stall was similar to
previous joint 1 stalls. On sol 1170 (May 9, 2007), Opportunity reached
its destination, an outcrop known as "Madrid/Guadarrama."

Sol-by-sol summary:

In addition to daily observations that included measuring atmospheric
dust with the panoramic camera and surveying the sky and ground with the
miniature thermal emission spectrometer, Opportunity completed the
following activities:

Sol 1164 (May 3, 2007): Opportunity stowed the robotic arm, drove
approximately 15 meters (49 feet) onto "Cape of Good Hope," acquired
hazard avoidance camera images just before and after the end of the
drive, and unstowed the robotic arm. The rover acquired a 3-by-1 mosaic
of "Cape of Good Hope" as well as other images of the terrain with the
navigation camera after the drive.

Sol 1165: Opportunity began the sol by acquiring a timed movie in search
of clouds, with successive images taken after a two-minute delay. The
rover completed a sky survey at high sun using the panoramic camera and
measured dark current (signals received when not exposed to light) while
both hot and warm. The rover enjoyed a deep sleep.

Sol 1166: Upon awakening, Opportunity surveyed the sky with the
panoramic camera and acquired panoramic camera images of Cape St.
Vincent. While acquiring stereo microscopic images of Viva la Rata prior
to grinding the rock surface, Joint 1 stalled. The rover conducted a
touch test on Viva La Rata with the rock abrasion tool and searched for
clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1167: In the morning, Opportunity monitored dust on the rover mast
and acquired thumbnail images of the sky with the panoramic camera. The
rover acquired super-resolution images of Cape St. Vincent with the
panoramic camera and searched for clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1168: Opportunity completed a morning survey of the horizon with the
panoramic camera and brushed Viva La Rata with the rock abrasion tool.
Following that, the rover acquired stereo microscopic images of the
brushed surface and studied it with the alpha-particle X-ray
spectrometer. Opportunity also surveyed a target known as "Rodrigues"
with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer and acquired panoramic
camera images of the terrain ahead. Opportunity scanned the sky for
clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 1169: Opportunity acquired sky images with the panoramic camera and
checked for drift (changes with time) in the miniature thermal emission
spectrometer. The rover did not stow the robotic arm as planned after
having moved it into ready position because of the Joint 1 stall. Also
as a result of the stall, the rover did not drive backward to adjust its
position and proceed to "Madrid" as planned. Opportunity acquired images
of Viva La Rata with the panoramic camera and post-drive images with
both the panoramic and navigation cameras. The rover searched for clouds
with the navigation camera.

Sol 1170 (May 8, 2007): Opportunity acquired post-drive images with the
navigation camera, conducted a diagnostic test of the robotic arm,
stowed the robotic arm, acquired panoramic camera images of "Madrid,"
unstowed the robotic arm, and acquired images with the navigation and
panoramic cameras. The rover scanned the sky for clouds and conducted a
survey of rock clasts with the panoramic camera.

Odometry:

As of sol 1170 (May 8, 2007), Opportunity's total odometry was 10,784.94
meters (6.7 miles).
Received on Fri 25 May 2007 12:15:24 PM PDT